Leadership Coaching & Consulting
- we are all leaders of our own lives
I have coached leaders from both domestic and international backgrounds for approximately 30 years, addressing all the complex personal, professional, and health-related issues that it entails.
When it all comes down to it, constructive and impactful coaching sessions, like many other things, boil down to a matter of personal chemistry. According to my clients, my sessions are characterized by a holistic perspective on life, always accompanied by humor, intuition, and profound human respect. We delve into both the occupational and personality psychology, the body, nutrition, as well as spiritual and existential aspects.
At our initial meeting, you are not obligated to a longer process, although experience widely indicates that most clients extend what began as an inquiry for a more immediate need into a transformative, nourishing, personal development journey.
When you are in a leadership coaching program with me, it also means that you have access to my VIP service, where you can reach out to me and schedule a consultation with just a few hours' notice.
Our sessions can take place online, over the phone, or at ERIKSEN INSTITUTTET, Skovgården – where we also have the option to include forest walks and nature therapy with the forest and beach in our backyard.
If you are interested in a coaching program, please send an email to: message@going-beyond.dk
Would you like to learn more about my leadership coaching and counseling?
You are always welcome to contact me directly through the form.
Excerpts from client references:
"A journey.
I reached out on a dark Monday morning to Helen over the phone. I had just been fired after 10 years as a high-level director in a multinational American-led company. I was well aware that I needed help to think positively and creatively again. I was accustomed to demanding this from my employees, regardless of how much pressure they were under, so I had the same expectations for myself. I remember saying on the phone: 'There is something in myself that I need to deprogram, and something I need to program.' One is a technician after all! 🙂 
– Now 9 months have passed, and many meetings, and as I read my notes from that time, I can hardly recognize myself. It was not a pitiful, but rather a wounded, angry, and confused person who had written it back then.
I arrive at Helen's place, and with humor and a smile, she guides me into her consultation room. It's a comfortable space. We start with the first meeting.
So, what actually happens in the next several months?
I think I can best describe the process I am going through with Helen's help as a journey. A journey on foot, mind you. Not by plane. Nothing can be skipped on this path. Each kilometer is experienced in body and soul. On the other hand, I don't need to walk faster than the individual parts of the journey can be overcome and leave an impression on me. I'm not asked to decide where I want to go, and I'm only made aware if I go back. I only need to be in what is right in front of me here and now.
Helen is experienced in journeys. She hasn't always been right where we are, but in similar places. She doesn't control where I should go, but I find my way back home, and the house stands as it did before.
The journey continues and now becomes a journey in personal development with no ending. Helen gives me a telescope and a mirror, helps me remove some stones in the way, take stock of how far I am from where I started. Sometimes there is a gap that requires me to build a bridge to move forward. She shows me where I can get materials to build it, or that there may already be a bridge built that I just haven't seen yet. Many times, tools I haven't known before are used, and now I can take them with me. The path is open.
Along the way, I thought a bit that now I knew a bit about where Helen was on her own journey. But that wasn't the case. Helen was where she was solely because I was there. I think Helen could land with a parachute anywhere on a journey and be effective in helping anyone without having been on that person's journey before."
Finn Lyhne
"Helen was recommended by a consultant in the HR department. With a sense of burnout and lack of energy, I was aware that I really needed to change the approach and balance between work and other aspects of life. Through dialogue, Helen professionally guided me and led me through a process of self-awareness. I have trained attention, reflected on and gained insight into behavioral patterns, language, understanding of context, and myself through images.
Helen contributed in a very positive way, introducing new angles and perspectives, allowing me today to continue life with a completely different energy and balance between work and the rest of life. I will still need to practice my new habits and approach to life, but I now have a significantly improved starting point with tools in my toolkit.
Thank you for a fantastic collaboration – very positive."
Woman, Municipal Manager
"I have now used Helen as a sparring partner for almost 2 years – and she has truly helped me better understand myself and my personal opportunities and limitations.
Back in 2008, I contacted Helen to inquire about the possibilities of meeting and having a conversation, and to see if what is called coaching, counseling, or whatever it is, was really something for me. The primary reason for the contact was that, in short, I had pushed myself too hard for too long, and I had experienced various things in my professional life that had a greater impact on me than I had ever thought – and for these reasons, I had started to experience various physical stress symptoms. After the first two conversations with Helen about how she could help, areas were opened up that I had never thought of myself.
Helen opened my eyes to the truly fundamental aspects of both my private and professional life.
Helen….
Has helped me understand my personal challenges in terms of who I am and what I want – which was certainly the most difficult for me.
Has made me realize what is important for ME!
Has helped me identify my personal values, which I now keep in mind every single day and act upon.
Has given me useful tools to help myself and prevent when my symptoms might arise again.
– and I could go on...
I am now convinced that working with, among other things, my own values is the difference between my personal well-being or the opposite, which I have unfortunately experienced. All the things that you, UNFORTUNATELY, don't learn at the Business School or in the business world.
Even though I feel I have come a long way with Helen's help, I am now convinced that it is something you constantly have to work on, and I often use the tools that Helen has given me – and I now also know that it probably never stops.
In short, Helen has truly been the difference between whether I continued in 'free fall' or as I do now – taking care of myself while trying to fulfill my personal, private, and professional ambitions.
I will always recommend and have already recommended Helen to anyone who needs help, insights, coaching, etc., all of which takes place on a very professional level but always with a twinkle in the eye."
Thomas Christiansen
"A couple of conversations that turned into a 2-year 'finding back on track.'
When you've worked alone for a long time without much constructive counterplay, it quickly becomes like running in the fog. You think you know the direction, but you don't quite understand why you're not reaching the goal. At some point, even the direction becomes unclear – yet you persist fiercely, becoming more and more tired.
Fortunately for me, I got a good partner in my company who suggested at some point that a personal coach might be a good idea. I had a feeling that I wasn't functioning optimally, feeling easily irritated, etc., but I had also been busy, traveled a lot, etc., and believed I could handle it on my own. On the other hand, I knew somewhere deep down that something needed to be done, so I seized the opportunity – it was a bit more 'legitimate' now.
So, I called Helen, and we arranged a meeting in Aarhus.
It's no secret that, on the day of the first meeting, I had many thoughts on the way to Aarhus – a 2-hour journey for me.
Actually, I don't specifically remember the first meeting in detail. My focus was 100% on whether Helen was a person I could 'trust,' someone I could find the security in to allow someone from the outside to come so close.
I quickly felt comfortable with Helen, and that feeling only strengthened over time.
So, what have I gained from these 2 years?
Firstly, it should be said that Helen early on mentioned, '- it can take a long time to address things you've carried for many years. It can take years.' I politely refrained from commenting, thinking that 5-6 months would be fine.
I can best compare the result to this: if my thoughts before I started were like a tangled and tightly pulled rope, I have now loosened that knot – learned that it's no use pulling wildly in random ends.
I've turned an incredible number of thoughts and been helped to find answers to many questions.
Solutions/answers haven't been served on a platter, but I've been guided to find the answers within myself, in my world.
I've been helped to articulate thoughts that I would normally park on a sidetrack, and learned that it's okay and important to express them.
Is everything like when a car has had its 25,000 check – everything runs smoothly, and nothing makes noise?
No, it's not like that.
I have, in my opinion, gained more insight into my own way of reacting in different situations, acquired some tools and goals that make my life more manageable. The tasks haven't become easier, but some have been deprioritized, others systematized, and I'm learning that I don't have unlimited resources, and that working on the good life is a continuous process.
Has it all been worth it?
Absolutely – several times I've been very close to reverting to the old situation of '- I don't have time for the meeting, and I can work my way out of this,' but every time I've emerged strengthened from our meetings. Being met, completely without prejudice and without demands, by a very professional conversation partner who only wants what's best for you, is hard to put into words. It strengthens – it's sparring in the most positive way and makes you see opportunities more than limitations."
Gunnar Lassen
"When hit by mentally unstable leaders, it almost always happens unexpectedly. After 25 years on the job in a public institution, always in significant leadership roles, I found myself one day facing a newly hired leader who, out of the blue, erased my identity and self-understanding on grounds pulled from thin air. How people react to such a situation may have been read or heard about, but how one reacts personally is unknown until faced with the situation. In my case, I experienced a complete (non-physical) violation and had emotions similar to what real rape victims often have: shame, guilt, and thoughts that maybe I brought it upon myself. It is not a pleasant situation.
Unfortunately, I activated Helen a bit later than I should have, as it took three months before I wrote to her. The first session with her, lasting two hours, brought enormous relief from the pressure I was under. Helen managed to help me understand the emotions I had and why I had them. And she gave me a series of good advice on how to mentally cope with them. It was invaluable – as were several subsequent sessions.
If anyone finds themselves in a situation like mine, where people you have trusted and been close to make a 180-degree turn and directly attack with all imaginable means, seek psychological help from day 1. And I can guarantee that Helen is not a bad choice in that regard."
Anonymous, Male Top Executive
"I approached Helen based on a recommendation. My reason for booking a session was that, despite some improvements, I still did not have a healthy attitude towards my work. Old habits and patterns haunted me, creating a high level of inner unrest, almost stress-like symptoms. Despite many positive feedback from satisfied customers and collaborators, I was always in doubt and lacked peace. Helen worked in a structured and accommodating manner and opened up well to the underlying causes. Since then, I have regularly used two simple mantras:
"It is good enough" and "I cannot and should not do it all" – very simple, very effective. There is undoubtedly a time before Helen and a time after Helen. Thank you."
Woman, Entrepreneur, 44 years old.
"To my experiences and recommendations regarding your coaching:
I always had the impression that you have a particularly good connection 'upstairs' and quickly sensed what matters and where the crux lies within oneself. You conveyed things to me in a way that I could handle, making it possible for me to understand and implement them. Often, upon later listening to the tapes, I heard much more between the lines and received messages that still had validity later on. Besides, after the conversations, I felt fully charged with good and positive energy and equipped with good basic trust again. I received many valuable and very fitting messages through the work with you.
Are you ever in Milan or Munich? Then I look forward to a reunion!!!
Could you send me a brochure?
Warm regards"
Angelika
